Interview :Dante Sica In a context of macroeconomic and currency volatility, what can be done to boost industrial activity? DANTE SICA: We need to overcome the systemic lack of competitiveness in the economy. Roundtable discussions – involving the state, companies and workers – are helping us to find productivity-enhancing solutions for each industry. At the macro level we are implementing…
Interview :Alejandro Sruoga How are the state, private players and society contributing to the transition towards innovation? ALEJANDRO SRUOGA: Since 2016 we have gone from a situation of energy emergency to a state of normalisation. Looking to the future, we are committed to innovation in the sector, with this paradigm change being driven by technology. More renewable energy, electric mobility…
Interview :Juan Schiaretti How is the province supporting the development of local business, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)? JUAN SCHIARETTI: Córdoba has two local regulations to promote industrial development. The first – the Law of Industrial Promotion No. 5230 – applies to big companies, granting exemptions from provincial taxes for 10 years. Second, to promote…
Interview :Miguel Acevedo How have technological advances transformed the landscape, and how are domestic industrial businesses adapting to this shift? MIGUEL ACEVEDO: Industry 4.0 is not the future; it is already here. Technological change is happening at a very fast pace. Factories have new machines and robots, which means that less labour is required in a wide variety of sectors. This is…
Interview :Mariano Mayer What steps have been taken to make small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) competitive? MARIANO MAYER: Argentina has competitiveness and productivity issues, and in response to that we propose not to be cheaper, but to be better. Beyond weak infrastructure and unstable macroeconomic conditions, SMEs are most concerned about taxes, financing, labour costs and bureaucracy.…
Interview:Martín Eurnekian How is the sector responding to changing policies? MARTIN EURNEKIAN: The government of President Mauricio Macri has prioritised promoting domestic air transport under the so-called Aeroplane Revolution. This industry depends on the volume of activity, with greater volumes positively correlating to sector strength. It is important to understand the origin of demand…
Interview:Gonzalo Monarca What are the key opportunities and challenges facing real estate in the medium term? GONZALO MONARCA: After developers incorporated the pre-selling model, as is used in other regional economies, the sector has begun to properly develop. Access to supply-side housing credit has traditionally been challenging, but the new model allows us to use clients’ investments…
Interview:Ezequiel Lemos How would increased railroad use and a revamped freight train affect growth in the country’s interior? EZEQUIEL LEMOS: The main cost for the agricultural industry in the inland regions of Argentina is freight, with high logistics costs limiting the possibility of reaching many markets with competitive prices intact. In consumer goods, which are almost entirely moved…
Interview:Silvia Tenazinha How can tourism support economic development? SILVIA TENAZINHA: Tourism is one of the fastest ways to spread wealth within an economy, because it does not require large investment or manufacturing plants to operate. There is a lot of regional inequality in Argentina and it is our responsibility as Argentine companies to invest accordingly. Online travel companies…
Interview:Guillermo Dietrich To what extent have transparency and compliance been promoted in the public tendering process? GUILLERMO DIETRICH: One of the first and most important mandates was the eradication of corruption in public administration, supported by all government members. The Ministry of Transport (MoT), having one of the largest budgets due to heavy investment in infrastructure,…
